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United States Energy Policy
Current US Policy US energy policy has been and currently is dedicated to the consumption of non-renewable and predominately foreign owned fuels (natural gas, propane, crude oil, and oil derivatives such as gasoline and diesel). United States foreign policy is often formed based on the protection and expansion of sources of relatively inexpensive fuels. The United States government maintains close ties with foreign countries such as Saudi Arabia to ensure a constant and predictable source of oil. Destabilization of the Middle East and South America, past and present, and the accompanying government policies are a catch-22 which we have failed to solve. American policies encouraging "free trade" with countries lacking labor protections (China dn India) have had the additionally unfortunate side effect of raising foreign consumption of oil while American demand for oil and fuel is at an all time high. Without immediate changes to our energy policy away from non-renewable fuel sources, America can no longer pretend to be a nation of the free. We are only as free as our dependence on foreign countries. Many oil producing countries are run by dictators and monarchies putting the security of our nation at risk and the financial security of our citizens in the hands of those who would destroy our republic and take away our liberties. Thermal Conversion Process Commonly referred to as the "Everything to Oil Machine", this wonder of technological advancement mimics the planets method of creating oil from waste, only in a much shorter timespan. With potential waste feed stocks of municipal waste, sewage, agricultural byproduct, medical waste and most other non-nuclear wastes, this technology has the potential to solve not only our foreign oil dependence but also our waste disposal issues. No more garbage mountains, no more medical waste polluting our lakes, rivers and drinking water, simply no more. It is time to push forward with an energy policy that will help us all, not profit from us all. Solar Since the late seventies, amidst the original energy crisis, solar energy has been seen as the future of energy independence. So much so that during the Carter administration the White House itself was adorned with solar panels. However, due to an extended period of artificially restrained oil prices, the technical advancement of solar technologies was held down for better than two decades. Recent and dramatic surges in the prices of all non-renewable fuels has rekindled an interest in all forms of alternative energy with solar technology advancing perhaps faster than most. Fusion I am not an expert on this, so perhaps someone could expand. The Chinese are beating the US to fusion and the US is operating on a joint plant to operate in France and pursue fusion as a future clean energy source. Cold Fusion is also a possibility in years to come. Hydrogen Fuel (Auto) Hydrogen is the ultimate solution to our energy crisis at the fuel pumps. Currently a few manufacturers have working models. The GM Hy-Wire is fully functional and has a revolutionary design. Hydrogen Fuel actually cleans the environment when it is driven by producing Oxygen and Water as it's byproducts instead of Carbon Dioxide, Carbon Monoxide, and other pollutants as current fuels do. Problems EROEIhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EROEI ('e'nergy 'r'eturned 'o'n 'e'nergy 'i'nvested) "Hydrogen, touted by many as a seamless solution, is actually an energy carrier, but not an energy source. Hydrogen must be produced using an energy source such as natural gas or nuclear power. Because of energy losses in transformation, the hydrogen will always contain less energy than was invested in it." http://www.energybulletin.net/primer.php Production and Distribution Currently hydrogen fuel requires energy to produce. Although hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, this energy required to produce it is not always clean energy. Further, distribution would require a major fuel company to peremptorily add hydrogen fuel at the pumps before production model cars are released for the public, as it would require fuel in major cities. Dangers Some magazines have said Hydrogen fuel cells can be dangerous, as hydrogen can explode while gasoline just burns. However, most of the cells are well protected, carry less fuel, and if the cell is cracked, it the hydrogen will quickly disperse into the air in a safe manner. Category:EnvironmentCategory:Public_benefitCategory:Energy Ethanol Ethanol can be used as a fuel for automobiles either alone or as an additive to gasoline. Ethanol derived from crops is a potentially sustainable fuel source. It is ready available from the starch and sugar in crops such as maize and sugarcane. Ethanol made from maize, however, was found to use a significant amount of energy compared to the energy value of the fuel produced. External Links "Ethanol Prices" Current price of ethanol Make an Informed Decision - An Overview of Each 2008 Presidential Candidate's Record and Plan to address Global Warming and Energy Reform